Little Earthquakes
by hephaestionthewriter
Summary: SLASH WARNING Mike Logan faces some consequences about his relationship with Stephan.


Law & Order: Exiled

Little Earthquakes

By Nicolas

Genres: slash, fan-fiction

Rating: adults

Author's note: You should read "Starved for Love", "Christmas in Staten Island" and "Confessions over Beer" etc before this story. I'm trying to write these stories in order of the relationship development with "Stress Position" being sort of the 'finale' of the "Exiled" series. I'm trying not to rewrite too much L&O canon/history.

Feedback: yes, please and suggestions too. will be hosting my Law & Order stories.

Main Characters: Mike Logan/OC

Disclaimer: Mike Logan belongs to Dick Wolf. However, Stephan Morgenthau belongs to me and is a fictional character. But Robert Morgenthau is the New York County District Attorney. I made a fictional grandson as homage to Mr. Morgenthau. All the places mentioned in these stories are actual landmarks in Staten Island and/or NY. I'm doing quite a bit of homework to make sure I put as much 'reality' in the stories as the series.

* * *

Oh, these little earthquakes  
Here we go again  
Oh, these little earthquakes  
Doesn't take much to rip us into pieces

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos

* * *

Mike Logan banged on the door.

Stephan opened it. He was still wiping the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't seen Mike in three months since that night. "Did you come here to fight or to have sex? Or both…?"

Mike looked up at Stephan.

Stephan saw the look of desperation and sadness in his ex-lover's eyes. "What is wrong?"

"I know that I have no right coming to you. I can't expect you to forgive how I treated you that night. But, I have no fucking idea who else to turn to, Stephan. You have to help."

Stephan nodded and pulled him in the door. He wasn't expecting that Mike would be pulling someone else that was hiding around the corner.

Mike looked at Stephan. "This is Mara. She's pregnant…with my baby. But she found out she's HIV. Can you help her?"

"Pregnant…" Stephan said and looked at the tall woman who still had remnants of beauty on her face. "Let's put her in the guest room; it's too late to talk about what we should do now. Tomorrow we'll make a phone call to a doctor I know at St. Vincent's."

Mrs. Shaunessay appeared from her room. She looked over at Stephan but pointed at Mike. "He's got some nerve bringing some girlfriend! What's going on here?"

Stephan walked over to the older woman and quickly whispered a summary of events.

Mrs. Shaunessay shook her head. "Poor girl…come here and let me get you to bed. Don't worry, you're in good hands here."

Mike and Stephan watched Mrs. Shaunessay take Mara to the guest room.

Stephan went to the hall closet and grabbed some pillows and a blanket. He placed them on the sofa. "I'll sleep here. You can have my bedroom."

"I'm not putting you out of your own bedroom. I can have the sofa." Mike said and sat down. He took a pillow in his hands and then put his head back. "I was all prepared to come back with my tail between my legs. What an idiot I was to run like that because of a couple of jokes. I panicked. I kept picturing myself a butt of those jokes by the guys at the precinct. I went to a bar; I got drunk and fucked this really hot chick."

Stephan sat next to Mike. "I'm assuming Mara…is she your girlfriend?"

Mike gave Stephan that signature "are you kidding me" look. "Like I said, I was drunk and I fucked this leggy model. Turns out, I wasn't impressed. As the days went by, I realized I was missing you and Christopher. However, I didn't think you would want to see me again. I decided to just wait and watch from far away."

Stephan laughed. "No wonder I had this feeling I was being followed sometimes."

Mike shook his head. "Out of the blue, Mara shows up at the bar looking like shit – telling me she needs my help. She had gotten out of detox and realized she was knocked up. I can't believe I fucked a heroin addict. I guess it was too dark to notice the needle marks. And now, she swears I'm the father; I believe her. The dates sort of make sense. Then she tells me she's HIV positive."

"She doesn't want an abortion – or maybe you don't want one? I know you're Catholic."

Mike sighed. "I had a girlfriend get an abortion behind my back years ago. It had bothered me so much. I told Mara I would pay for it but she said she wants to have it. Mara thinks she's going to die; she wants to leave a part of her behind. I guess I was glad she didn't go for the abortion. And here we are…I'm just jumping out of frying pans into fires these days."

"Well, you're good at that…" Stephan said and yawned. "Let's get some sleep Mike, tomorrow is going to be a rough day."

"You told me that night you loved me. And I ran out the door. Stephan, I don't think anyone has ever loved me in my entire life. My parents didn't love me; if anything I think they were set on to make me miserable. I get partners – I lose partners; and just when I meet someone that I get along with, he's a guy. But one stupid fag joke and I go running for the hills. Do you still love me at all?"

Stephan scooted over next to Mike. He put his arms around him. "Marcus Aurelius said, accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart…Everything happens for a reason Mike. You aren't alone anymore in this life – especially if you don't want to be. We will survive this together. You know you have to be tested. If she's infected, she could have infected you too."

Mike's eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Then that is more of a reason for me to sleep on the couch tonight."

* * *

Dr. Bartlett sat down with Mara, Mike and Stephan. St. Vincent's had done all the preliminary blood work on Mara. He handed the pregnant woman some pamphlets.

"All right Mara, this is what has been agreed is the best regiment for a HIV positive pregnant woman. You will start the daily treatment of zidovudine which is ZDV, AZT and Retrovir cocktail. We know since 1994 studies that when given to pregnant women it reduces HIV transmission rates by almost 70. It's an effective treatment. Here is what the regimen will look like:

**Table 1: Zidovudine Therapy for the Prevention of Perinatal Transmission of HIV Infection**

**Antenatal**

100 mg ZDV by mouth 5 times a day  
(or 200 mg t.i.d.) after 14 weeks of gestation.

**Intrapartum**

Intravenous ZDV at a dose of 2 mg/kg, infused over one hour, then 1 mg/kg by continuous infusion until delivery.

**Neonatal**

Oral ZDV syrup at a dose of 2 mg/kg every 6 hours for 6 weeks, beginning 8-12 hours after birth. ZDV may be given IV if neonate is unable to take oral medication.

This has to be followed religiously. I've also included a recommended diet. Mara, if you want your baby to be healthy, you must avoid alcohol and drugs.1

Mara nodded. "I plan to stay clean until I die."

The doctor sighed. "We have counseling here too. You shall see a counselor at least once a week. Your mental welfare is just as important for anyone battling a disease. You sought help quickly – I have every hope that things will turn out well."

Mara looked over the medications and everything else. She turned to Mike. "I can't afford this – I lost all my money on the heroin."

Stephan spoke up. "You worry only about your health and the baby. Mike and I will take care of everything else."

Mara nodded. She put a hand over her baby bump.

"Mara, we will be monitoring your white blood cell count as well as your viral load. If at any time we feel that your CD4 count is too low and the viral too high; we will change your treatment and include the possible use of protease inhibitors. It is important that if you reach that category of risk; that a prophylaxis against PCP and other opportunistic infections be taken. Your maternal health is always going to be my main concern. Do you have questions? And don't worry if you don't, this is a lot of information to take in – you can jot down your questions later and bring them on your next visit."

"Thank you doctor, I'll do that…" Mara said with a smile.

The doctor looked at Mike. "There is good news for you Mike. According to University of California, San Francisco, found there was a very low rate of infection among heterosexual couples with one HIV positive partner.

Most Scientists now believe female-to-male transmission is rare. Women were about eight times more likely than men to become infected by their HIV positive partners. The probability of HIV-positive women infecting their male partners with the virus was found to be significantly low. Your HIV test should come back in about two weeks. I'll contact you. 2"

* * *

Stephan heard the faint noise but Mike was even quicker in stirring beside him. He yawned and sat up in bed. "I'll heat up the bottle."

"You don't have to help. Get some sleep." Mike said and stood up. He yawned and stretched. He walked over to the corner of their bedroom where the bassinet had been placed. They started talking about buying a house soon.

Four weeks ago, Mike and the baby were tested. And Mike was never very religious because his mother and the priest who molested him soured him to it. He couldn't risk pissing God off – so he did go to church when their HIV tests came back negative. It was a simple thank you.

But, Mara wasn't so lucky. She had been hospitalized with pneumonia and within a week complications took her life. The only thing left of his son's mother was a scrap book that Mara kept of all her modeling ads.

"Hey Lennie, are you hungry buddy? You're like clockwork for this 1:00am bottle. Let me change your diaper first." Mike walked over to the changing table.

Stephan walked in with a bottle. "Mrs. Shaunessay was already up making the bottle. She's got some internal clock for these kids. I don't think we will ever beat her to it."

"He's hungry." Mike said and sat in the rocking chair. Lennie was of course named after his partner. And now at only 5 months old; the boy had a head full of dark hair like his father. Mike kissed his son's forehead. "I love you so much buddy."

Stephan leaned down and sought out Mike's lips. When the kiss was finished he could feel his cock twitch within his pajama bottoms. "We can fool around tonight. Tomorrow is Saturday."

Mike placed the baby over his shoulder and started to burp it. "Sounds good to me…"

* * *

Mike waited for Stephan outside the court room. He held his coat over his arm. "You were really going to ask for remand for Mrs. Keehan?"

Stephan walked in place next to Mike. "Nice to see you too Det. Logan…Bond was issued for the defendant."

"A million fucking dollars…" the detective said with less than happy tone. "It's a bit steep for a school secretary. I thought you felt sorry for her?"

Stephan looked over at the Detective. "Det. Logan – I answer to a higher power as assistant district attorney. I have another court appointment in 15 minutes. It seems a woman has decided to kill her baby via microwave."

Mike looked horrified. "Tell me you're kidding…"

Stephan sighed. "I wish I was Mike – but we can discuss it later? As for Mrs. Keehan, I'm not out for her blood. But I have to be mindful of appearances. And her husband was a retired NY police officer."

Det. Logan cleared his throat and looked around the busy court house. "I'll go to my apartment, change and then come to the house. I guess we all have to be mindful of appearances."

The End

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